Master of Science in Nursing – Nurse Executive Online

Build your leadership skills and healthcare policy expertise to advance your professional practice while preparing for a broad range of administrative roles.

Apply by: 1/3/25
Start class: 1/13/25 Apply Now Apply Now

Program Overview

A snapshot of the online MSN – Nurse Executive degree program

With the demand for nursing administrators on the rise, the MSN – Nurse Executive online program gives you practical tools for dynamic career growth. Equip yourself with in-depth proficiency in evidence-based practice and research, healthcare policies and ethics, organizational structures and processes, culture and collaboration, and more.

In this fully accredited MSN – Nurse Executive/Administration program from the School of Health Science and Wellness at Northwest Missouri State University, you will study fiduciary responsibility and regulatory systems to advance high quality, safe and professional practice.

This innovative and student-centered online program gives you practical knowledge you can tailor to your interests and professional goals. You will build an employer-ready portfolio throughout the program, culminating with an experiential capstone project.

Our nursing faculty have both academic and industry experience to ensure your education has real-world applications. Plus, you will have regular contact with a faculty mentor and a nurse expert who you will be available to consult about your progress and help maximize your learning.

The MSN – Nurse Executive program prepares you to:

  • Understand the essential competencies nurse executives require to lead within modern healthcare organizations
  • Apply processes for operational and capital budgeting, strategic planning, revenue management, and forecasting
  • Utilize techniques for relationship-building, human resource management, conflict resolution, change theory, mentorship, coaching, workplace diversity and shared governance
  • Use evidence-based practice and quality improvement processes to improve patient healthcare delivery
The MSN – Nurse Executive program prepares you to:
  • Understand the essential competencies nurse executives require to lead within modern healthcare organizations
  • Apply processes for operational and capital budgeting, strategic planning, revenue management, and forecasting
  • Utilize techniques for relationship-building, human resource management, conflict resolution, change theory, mentorship, coaching, workplace diversity and shared governance
  • Use evidence-based practice and quality improvement processes to improve patient healthcare delivery

Nurse executive careers:

  • Nursing Director
  • Surgery Center Administrative Director
  • Practice Administrator
  • Chief Nursing Officer
The MSN – Nurse Executive program prepares you to:
  • Nursing Director
  • Surgery Center Administrative Director
  • Practice Administrator
  • Chief Nursing Officer
The MSN – Nurse Executive program prepares you to:

Accreditation:

The Northwest Missouri State University Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN, distance education) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Eighth Floor, Washington, DC 20037; phone: 202-909-2526.

Online healthcare programs also available

Northwest online offers a variety of nursing programs. Check out all of our online healthcare programs.

Total Tuition $12,080*
Program Duration As few as 12 months
Credit Hours 30

Accreditation:

The Northwest Missouri State University Master's in Nursing Program (via distance education) is accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037.

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Need More Information?

Call 844-890-9304

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Tuition

Get the details on our pay-by-the-course tuition

Our online MSN – Nurse Executive degree program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. There is a $35.00 per course fee.

View additional tuition information+

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program*
MSN – Nurse Executive $392 $1,173 $12,080

Important Refund Information

2nd day of class Last date for 100% refund for dropped course
4th day of class Last date for 75% refund for dropped course
6th day of class Last date for 50% refund for dropped course
8th day of class Last date for 25% refund for dropped course

Required Fees

Required fee per course: $35

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition $12,080*
Per Credit Hour $392

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

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45
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $16,140
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

Calendar

See the important dates for our nursing students

Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.

View full calendar  + 

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Fall 210/21/2410/7/2410/10/2410/14/2410/16/2412/6/24
Spring 11/13/251/3/251/6/251/7/251/8/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/27/253/3/253/5/254/25/25
Summer 15/5/254/21/254/24/254/28/254/30/256/20/25
Summer 26/23/256/6/256/11/256/13/256/17/258/8/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date: 1/3/25
Next Class Start Date: 1/13/25
Ready to take the next steps toward

earning your degree?

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Admissions

Qualifications for the online MSN – Nurse Executive program

At Northwest, we’ve streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the MSN – Nurse Executive online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.

Admission Requirements:

  • BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • Nursing license, active and unencumbered
View all admission requirements +

Required Documentation

To apply for the MSN – Nurse Executive program, you must have:

  • An official undergraduate transcript from an accredited nursing program showing you have completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in BSN coursework
  • An unencumbered United States issued Registered Nursing license

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may apply for conditional admission if you have an BSN degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in BSN coursework. To receive full admission, you must earn a grade of B or higher in the first two MSN core courses or be subject to suspension for one calendar year.

Official transcript(s) can be emailed to: [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:

Graduate Records Specialist
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001

Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304.

Click here for State Authorization information.


Admission Requirements:

  • BSN degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • Nursing license, active and unencumbered

Courses

See the degree plan for the online MSN – Nurse Executive program

For the MSN – Nurse Executive online, the curriculum is comprised of 10 courses (30 credit hours).

Expand All
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nurses are called to be leaders, to serve as change agents, and to practice to the full extent of their education and training in order to advance health across the population (IOM, 2010). This course will explore the foundational concepts of the graduate-level prepared registered nurse and the advanced functions inherent in that role.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The nursing profession is transforming, and nurses must be able to use information technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error and support decision making (QSEN, 2019). This course will focus on evaluating information systems and technological resources used in patient care settings to support decisions that promote safe, quality client care.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The nursing profession is challenged with staying abreast of new information influencing nursing practice. Nurses must be able to analyze research methods, and research findings to evaluate its relevance to nursing practice and quality improvement efforts. This course will focus on analyzing quantitative and qualitative approaches to research, data collection methods, data analysis, and the legal and ethical issues of research. Students will apply their knowledge of research to an evidence-based practice initiative.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nurses are committed to advancing health and understand the need for healthcare transcends differences in respect to culture, values, and preferences across the global population (ANA Scope and Standards, 2015). This course will analyze the impact of social, political, and economic influences on the global environment and human health experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nurses influence policy to promote health (ANA Scope and Standards, 2015). They must be actively involved in policy development to accelerate the nursing profession and to support the overall health of the population. This course will discuss policy development in healthcare and evaluate nursing’s responsibility in shaping public and private policy.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nursing leaders recognize organizational and systems leadership are critical to the promotion of high quality and safe patient care. Leadership skills are needed that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective working relationships, and a systems-perspective (AACN, 2011). This course focuses on the essential competencies nurse executives require to lead within modern healthcare organizations. Includes an experiential learning experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The nurse executive needs to understand and manage the financial implications within the healthcare system. This course will focus on reimbursement systems, effective and efficient models of nursing care, and financial policy. Processes for operational and capital budgeting, strategic planning, revenue management, and forecasting will be examined. Includes an experiential learning experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nursing leaders recognize they serve as members and leaders of interprofessional teams in order to communicate, collaborate, and consult with other health professionals to manage and coordinate care (AACN, 2011). They must work to establish a healthy, ethical, and safe workplace environment. This course will focus on relationship-building, human resource management, conflict resolution, change theory, mentorship, coaching, workplace diversity, and shared governance. Includes an experiential learning experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Nurse executives are life-long learners. They use the leadership role to establish an organizational culture and processes to promote research innovation and application of research outcomes to practice (AACN, 2011). This course will focus on knowledge translation to practice models, research evaluation and dissemination, IRB requirements, evidence-based practice application, and quality improvement processes. Includes an experiential learning experience.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The nurse executive leads, influences, and governs within the healthcare environment to foster a culture of clinical excellence, innovation, transformation, and engagement (ANA, 2016). In this course students will participate in an experiential learning experience with a nurse leader within a healthcare organization. They will apply complex knowledge and skills to address the developing needs of the healthcare system. The student will design an evidence-based, data supported master’s leadership project. (45 contact hours). Includes an experiential learning experience.
View the Northwest Missouri MSN Handbook

Ranked #1

Northwest Missouri State University is ranked #1 among the "Best Online Colleges in Missouri" by SR Education Group (2020)

Highly Qualified Faculty

100% of classes are taught by professionals, not graduate assistants

*Tuition and fees are based on current rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition.

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